IAAF clears Russian long jumper Klishina for 2017 Championship

Moscow, Dec 22 (IANS) The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has announced Russia’s long jumper Daria Klishina was eligible to take part in the European Athletics Championship next March in Belgrade.

Dmitry Shlyakhtin, the president of the All-Russia Athletics Federations (ARAF), said earlier in the month the federation would propose its national athletes filing individual requests in order to participate in the European Athletics Championship under a neutral flag, reports Tass.

“Klishina is currently eligible to compete as a neutral athlete in international competitions and she does not need to make a new application,” the IAAF said on Wednesday.

The international organisation added Russia’s Yulia Stepanova is also eligible to compete in international competitions as a neutral athlete.

“The IAAF has received no other applications at this point,” the international organisation added.

Russia’s three-time European champion Klishina was the only representative of the Russian national track and field squad officially allowed to participate in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, while the rest of the team was banned from the international competition due to doping allegations.

Last year, the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) Independent Commission carried out an investigation in regard to the activities of the All-Russia Athletics Federation (ARAF), the Moscow anti-doping laboratory, the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) and the Russian Sports Ministry.

The commission accused certain athletes and sports officials of doping abuse and involvement in other activities related to violations of international regulations on performance-enhancing substances.

Eventually, the IAAF decided to suspend ARAF’s membership in the global governing body of athletics and put forward a host of criteria, which the Russian ruling body of track and field sports was obliged to implement to restore its membership in the global federation.

In mid-June, the IAAF Council ruled it was still too early to restore ARAF’s membership in the international organisation subsequently extending the suspension of Russian athletes from all international tournaments, including the 2016 Olympic Games in August.